Meerut (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 2 (ANI): The Meerut district administration has taken steps to ensure that Kanwariyas, devotees of Lord Shiva who embark on a pilgrimage to collect holy water from the Ganges River, have access to safe and hygienic food during their journey.

To achieve this, the administration has mandated that all food joints along the Kanwar yatra route display essential information.

Food joints are required to display a list of food items and their prices outside their establishments to prevent price gouging and ensure transparency.

'The district administration is ensuring that a list of food items and their prices is displayed outside all the food joints along the Kanwar yatra route. The food safety department will ensure that certificates of mandatory food safety registrations, which display the name of the owner and the registration number, are also displayed outside the food joints,' the Divisional Commissioner, Dr Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod told ANI.

The food safety department will ensure that all food joints display their mandatory food safety registration certificates, which include the name of the owner and registration number.

A QR code will be displayed outside each food joint, allowing Kanwariyas to scan and access information about the establishment's ownership and other relevant details.

'A QR code will also be displayed outside the joints, allowing the Kanwariyas to learn the details of the food joint's owners. This is being done because the Kanwariyas should get good quality and pure food on their journey,'added Yashod.

Meanwhile, in the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, the Health Department has prepared a strict and dedicated action plan to provide pure and safe food to lakhs of devotees during the upcoming Kanwar Yatra, according to an official statement.

Special teams of food safety officers have been deployed in Haridwar, Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri and Uttarkashi districts. These teams will regularly take samples of milk, sweets, oil, spices, beverages, etc., from the pandals and send them to laboratories for testing. If any sample does not meet the standards, the concerned place will be closed immediately, the statement said.

Additional Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration, Tajbar Singh Jaggi, said that the government has made it clear that no leniency will be shown against those doing food business without a license.

Small traders and cart owners will also be required to keep and display their photo identity card and registration certificate. 'Food Safety Display Board' should also be installed in hotels, eateries, dhabas and restaurants at a clearly visible place, so that the customer can know who is responsible for the quality of food, the statement said.

Action will be taken against businessmen who do not follow these instructions under Section 55 of the Food Safety Act 2006, in which a fine of up to 2 lakh can be imposed. (ANI)